The men's razor market - United Kingdom

1.1 Definition and scope of the study

The men's razor market is a sub-segment of the men's hygiene and beauty market. The razor is a device used by men primarily for shaving facial hair. The razor market comprises several segments:

• Straight razors (razors that can be folded, used mainly by barbers)
• Electric shavers
• Disposable razors (often made of plastic, single use)

The global razor market is expected to grow strongly until 2025, mainly due to the increasing focus on men's grooming and consumer awareness on personal hygiene. Nevertheless, different geographical regions exhibit different uses of razors. For example, in Asia, disposable razors are more frequently used, while developed countries make greater use of electric razors.

In the United Kingdom, the shaver market is struggling due to consumer trends, including the increasing use of beards, and increased competition from foreign players and start-ups, which are putting downward pressure on prices and therefore on revenues.

The razor market is dominated by Gillette, a company with historical roots dating back to the 20th century and owned by Procter & Gamble.

Trends in the razor industry benefit from social networks and the influence of celebrities, who often use hairstyles that require the use of razors.

1.2 A global market in good shape

The global shavers market is in pretty good shape, estimated in **** at USD **.** billion and is expected to register a CAGR (***) of *.*% over the period ****-**** to reach USD **.** billion by ****.

shavers Market Size Evolution World, ****-****, $ billion Source: ****

In general, the end-user is more frequently male, which can help market ...

1.3 An increasingly weak national market

Given the limited data available on the men's shaving market in the UK, it is difficult to establish a clear market size. However, it is possible to establish the size of the market for everything related to hair removal and shaving, including creams and lotions. The graph below shows that the ...

1.4 Foreign trade

In order to report on the UK's foreign trade in razors, we use the UN Comtrade platform, using the code **** which includes: "Razors and razor blades (***)".

Thus, we can say that in ****, the United Kingdom is a net importer of razors, with a foreign trade coverage rate of **.**%. In ****, the country ...

2.1 Consumers who are increasingly turning to comfort

Until ****, the number of razor users in the UK was constant with only slight variations by type of razor used, as shown in the graph below.

change in the number of people using razors by type United Kingdom, ****-****, in thousands of units Source: ****

Thus, it can be seen from the ...

2.2 Shaving less and less frequently

Although the razor remains the reflex tool for a man to shave and substitutes for shaving with razors are few, more expensive and less convenient, there is a downward trend in the use of razors by the British.

change in men's shaving frequency United Kingdom, ****-****, in millions Source: Kantar The ...

2.3 New ways of consuming

Beyond less frequent use, consumers are changing their purchasing habits. Indeed, with the advent of social networks and online consumerism, traditional channels are increasingly abandoned in the shaving market. Thus, Mintel informs us that in ****, **% of shaving product buyers have purchased their products online.

Social networks can influence the consumption of ...

3.1 Business model and most popular brands

The larger , older shaving brands are increasingly being challenged by smaller players, as discussed earlier. There are strong opportunities for brands to use direct and digital interactions to better understand their consumers and use them to drive marketing and launch activities. However, traditional players such as Wilkinson Sword, Gilette or Bic ...

3.2 R&D at the heart of the market players' strategy

Here again, we can distinguish between manufacturers of mechanical and electric shavers, around whom the organization and dynamics of the market are based.

The organization of the mechanical shaver industry is quite simple:

Suppliers of raw materials such as steel or plastic for the handle Manufacturers (***) as major players, who own ...

3.3 New players shaking up traditional players

Even if the giants such as Wilkinson, Gilette, Braun or Bic monopolize the market of men's razors, new trends come to shake up this order with ideas that attract many customers. Among these trends, we find the online sales which quickly came to bother the big players of the market, with ...

4.1 Types of razors and prices

There are different main families of razors, each with its own price range.

The cabbage cutter

The cabbage cutter, also known as a straight razor, is for those who appreciate a traditional shave. It is very precise and requires a little training to sharpen it and use it safely. The advantage ...

4.2 High-margin products but falling prices in the face of competition

Overview of the latest products offered on the razor market in the UK according to their specificities:

Hydrating: A razor that diffuses a moisturizing gel, the objective being a perfect distribution of the gel. Example: Hydro * from Wilkinson, a sensitive version exists for sensitive skin Price: £**.** for * blades[***] Premium: The premium ...

4.3 An increasingly qualitative and personalized offer

Blades are of better quality, a movement directly resulting from the huge R&D budgets of the major razor companies. Products last longer (***) by offering standard products with less frequent blade quality improvements and thus lowering the average price of its razors. Nevertheless, blades are improving overall.

Manufacturers are also trying ...

5.1 A product whose regulations are changing with the Brexit

The razor market is relatively unaffected by the regulations, however, blades remain a product that can be turned into a weapon. For airplanes, disposable razors are allowed while traditional razors (***) are prohibited.

Brexit-related changesHowever, it is, like most products sold in the UK, subject to Brexit-induced changes in regulations. Razors are ...

6.1 Segmentation

The segmentation of companies in the shaver sector is extremely simple, the companies are mainly manufacturers of shavers, whether electric or mechanical.

The market has very few companies, and is almost duopolistic for all types of shavers. Especially since the brands are often grouped together as subsidiaries of other larger groups. ...

• Procter & Gamble
• BIC Groupe
• Gillette (Procter & Gamble)
• Braun (Procter & Gamble)
• Edgewell Personnal Care Group - Wilkinson
• Harry's Shave
• Edwin Jagger